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Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed laid out an action plan ahead of a winter storm Wednesday, calling for a staggered exit from city limits in hopes of avoiding last year’s historic SnowJam.

Reed implored parents whose children are in school or daycare to retrieve them between noon and 2 p.m., and for businesses to release other workers beginning at 2 p.m. this afternoon. He hopes residents will be at their homes by 4 p.m. today, he said.

“We don’t want to have a mass exodus from the City of Atlanta, which is why we’re asking for a staggered approach on a staggered schedule,” Reed said at a news conference this morning. “Our posture right now, and the state’s posture, is ‘safe, not sorry.'”

Last year the metro area was paralyzed by a winter storm that dumped ice and snow mid-day, causing a widespread traffic jam that lasted nearly a day as thousands of Atlantans flooded onto roadways at once.

The city anticipates receiving between two to six inches today, beginning around 3 p.m., he said. Reed said he doesn’t want a repeat of last year’s gridlock.

“Traffic in Atlanta at 6 o’clock is always bad,” Reed said. “If you add two to six inches of snow, we fear we could face a similar situation that we had last year. We don’t want people in harm’s way…”

Atlanta City Hall and local schools are closed today. State government is closing at noon. The mayor said he anticipates City Hall to re-open 10 a.m. on Thursday, pending further change.

City is using 83 pieces of equipment, including eight brine spreaders. The mayor is asking for residents to move cars off main roads, he said, to allow snow equipment to pass by.

The city has also opened the Old Adamsville Recreation Center as a warming shelter. Reed spokeswoman Anne Torres said about 30 people, including children, are currently using the facilities.

Residents with questions about city services are asked to call *311 for assistance.

Not a good plan. People are not slaves. We can get in our cars and leave anytime we want to. It doesn't matter if my child is or is not in daycare. When I want to ensure my child's safety, I am going to leave work and get them no matter what the time. A better and common sense plan is to simply:Prepare the roads before the storm. Gee whiz, we have satellite and radar.Keep the hero units and emergency vehicles in strategic places to anticipate the accidents when they happen.

Stock the mass transit and other strategic vehicles, including Marta trains and school buses, with blankets, flashlights, water a bucket and some bathroom tissue.Really, we've had winter weather for thousands of years. I am sure we can get this right without putting all the onus on the citizens instead of on the city, state and federal governments where it belongs.

@Betsy Ross1776 So, you don't want the government telling you what to do - what time to leave, etc. - but you do want the government to take full responsibility if anything goes wrong. You are not too swift.